Google will change its privacy policy after signing an agreement with the UK’s data regulator

“Too Vague”. This is the term that has been awarded by Britain’s data protection regulators to Google’s policies on how it collects user’s information and uses them for other operations.

Following the stepping in of an official watchdog, the search giant will now have to change its privacy policies and better inform users about how it handles their personal information. The move comes after an investigation by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which said that Google’s existing policy is too vague.

The ICO ruled that the new policy did not include sufficient information for service users as to how and why their personal data was being collected. Google has now signed an undertaking committing to make further changes to the privacy policy to ensure it meets the requirements of the Data Protection Act and to take steps to ensure that future changes to its privacy policy comply, including user testing.

Steve Eckersley, the ICO’s head of enforcement, said-

Google’s commitment today to make these necessary changes will improve the information UK consumers receive when using their online services and products. Whilst our investigation concluded that this case hasn’t resulted in substantial damage and distress to consumers, it is still important for organisations to properly understand the impact of their actions and the requirement to comply with data protection law. Ensuring that personal data is processed fairly and transparently is a key requirement of the Act.

The ICO previously instructed Google to revise its privacy policy in March 2013. The officials said that this agreement will make an impact not just on Google but also on other companies which gather information online. Google will need to make changes by the end of June and further improvements in next two years.